Automobile starting mechanism.



L. M. JENSEN.

AUTOMOBILE STARTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 31mm], 1910.

984,432. Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

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L. M. JENSEN.

AUTOMOBILE STARTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION rum) JAN. 28, 1910.

984,432. Patented Feb. 14.1911.

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a 14 m4 Wot 62015 (fizzlsva LEJVIS M. JENSELL, OF LA GRANIDE, OREGON.

AUTOMOBILE STARTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

Application filed January 28, 1910. Serial No. 540,658.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lewis M. JENSEN, a citizen of the United States. residing at La Grande, in the county of Union and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in i-kutomobile Starting Mechanism, of which the following is-a specification.

The present invention provides unique mechanism for starting the engine of an automobile or like vehicle propelled by e);- plosive engines requiring to be started by hand, the purpose being to dispense with the usual operation of cranking either in the front or at the side of the machine and to enable the operator to start the engine while seated in the machine.

The invention contemplates a cranking shaft in line with the engine shaft mounted both to rotate and to move longitudinally, a clutch having one member fixed to the engine shaft and the other to the cranking shaft, means for throwing the cranking shaft into clutched engagement with the engine shaft, and means for autoimitically throwing the starting mechanism out of action in the event of backdiring, whereby disastrous results are avoided.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the application, ,liigure l is a front view of part of an automobile provider l with starting mechanism constructed in accord ance with the present invention. Fig. :2 is a side view. Fi 3 is adetail. plan view, showing more nirticularly the. relative arrangement of the cranking and engine shafts and the parts cooperatingtherewith. Fig. t

is a side View, showing the foot lever and the means whereby the cranking shaft moved longitudinally thereby.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the same reference characters.

The starting mechanism is shown applied to the type of machine adapted to be cranked from the front. although it is to be understood that it may be adapted to any make of machine with slight changes which will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic.

The engine shaft 1 is provided with a clutch member 2. The cranking shaft 3 is mounted in line with the engine shaft and is provided with a clutch member 4, which is adapted to cooperate with the clutch member 2 when the two shafts 1 and 3 are in engagement. The cranking shaft 3 is mounted both to have a rotary movement and a 1ongitudinal movement imparted thereto, a rotary movement when it is required to turn the engine shaft It, as when starting the machine, and a longitudinal movement to throw the clutch members into or out of engagement. A sprocket Wheel is rotatably mounted in fixed bearings and the cranking shaft 3 is mounted therein so as to turn with the sprocket wheel and to move freely therein longitudinally to admit of throwing the clutch into and out of engagement. An expansible helical spring (3 is mounted upon the cranking shaft 3 and exerts an eridwise pressure thereon to normally hold the cranking shaft 3 outward and the clutch members 2 and -tseparated.

A shaft 7 is arranged transversely of the machine in advance of the engine and is pr0- vided atits inner end with an arm 8, which terminates in a fork and engages a collar 9 provided upon the cranking shaft 3. An arm '10 at the outer end of the shaft 7 is connected by means of a rod 11 with a foot 1ever 19 mounted upon the machine and conveniently disposed. to be engaged by the foot of the operator when it is required to more the cranking shaft to bring the clutch member 4; thereof into engagement with the clutch member 2 of the engine shaft preliminary to starting the engine by crankin Upon pressing forwardly upon the upper end of the foot lever 12 the shaft 7 is rocked in a clockwise direction so as to move the cranking shaft inward to bring it into clutched engagement with the engine shaft and at the same time compressing thehelical spring 6. \Vhen the engine starts the crank ing shaft is thrown outward by the teeth of the clutch member riding upon the teeth of the clutch member t. \Vhen pressure is removed from the foot lever 12 the spring 6 reacts and moves the cranking shaft 3 outward, thereby disengaging the clutch mem her 4 from the clutch member 2.

A longitudinal shaft 13 is arranged at one chain 17 connects the sprocket wheels 5 14 and. transmits motion from the longitudiforwardly too far at its upper end.

side of the machine and is provided at its front end with a sprocket wheel 14 and at its rear end with a bevel pinion 15, which is in mesh with a bevel gear wheel 16. Asprockep ant nal shaft 13 to the crankingshaft 3. The bevel gear wheel 16 is provided. around its periphery with a series of ratchet teeth 18, which cooperate with a. pawl 19 carried .by an operating lever 20 arranged to extend within convenient reach of the operator of the machine when seated. The operating lever 20 is mounted in same shaft supporting the bevel gear wheel 16 and the pawl. 19 is pivotally mounted upon 'an1extens1on thereof and is held in engagement with the teeth 18 by means of a spr ng. A bracket 21 secured to the frame of the machine has a portion extending in the path of the rear end of the pawl 19 so as to engage therewith and automatically throw the pawl out of engagement with the teeth 18 in the event of the lever 20 being thrown This construction and arrangement of parts prevents disastrous results in the event of the engine back-firing, because backward movement of the bevel gear wheel. 16 carries the lower end of the operating lever 20 rear wardly and brings the rear end of the pawl 19 in engagement with the bracket 21, with the result that the pawl is automatically disengaged from the ratchet tooth 18, thereby permitting the starting mechanism to turn backward without producing any ill-effect.

Then it is required to start the engine the operator seated in the machine applies pressure to the foot lever 12 so as to move the shaft 3 longitudinally to bring the clutch member et thereof into engagement with the clutch member 2 of the engine shaft 1,after which the lever 20 is operated by an oscillatory movement, which imparts movement to the bevel gear wheel 16 and to the shaft 13, said movement being imparted to the engine shaft by means of the connections herein described. The lever 20 is operated until the engine is started, the bevel gear wheel 13 beline with or upon the assess ing operated by means of the ratchet connec 59 tion between it and the lever '20. engine is started pressure is removed from the foot lever 12 when the shaft 3 is moved outward by the spring 6, thereby disengaging the clutch 4: from the clutch 2.

From the foregoing description, taken. in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation' of the invention, togetherwith the device which I now consider to be the embodiment thereof, I desire tohave it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the .scope of the claim appended hereto.

is claimed as new, 1s:-

in automobile starting mechanism, the combination of a cranking shaft mounted in line with the engine shaft to receive both a rotary and a longitudinal movement, a clutch comprising complemental members carried by respectively the enginegand the cranking shafts, a levenflundercontrol of the operator for moving.the 'crankmg shaft to throw the same into"clutched engageme t with the engine shaft, a gear element rotatable with the cranking shaft and having the latter slidable therein, a power transmitting shaft connected with said gear element, a ratchet wheel geared with said power transmitting shaft, an operating lever, a pawl mounted upon the operating lever and adapted to cooperate with said ratchet wheel, and means for automatically disengaging the pawl from the ratchet wheel in the event of the engine back-firing or the operating lever being thrown beyond a predetermined point.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V. B. HILLYARD, BENNETT S. Jones.

Having thus described the invention what- When the 

